Sealing device



Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

RICHARD H. WEBSTER, OF RICHMOND HEIGHTS, MISSOURI SEALING DEVICEApplication filed July 14,

provide a cheap effective sealing device for the purpose stated;secondly, to provide such a device designed to fasten the ends of asealing band by rotation of a roller in a casing; thirdly, to provide acollapsible roller of sheet metal adapted to fasten the ends of saidsealing loop when wound thereon; and fourthly, to provide such acollapsible sheet roller with a fragile portion for winding which isbroken out by attempted reverse motion.

In the accompanying drawings inwhich like reference numerals indicatecorresponding parts, u i I Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of mysealing device ready for use;

Fig. 2;"a vertical section 'of. the block lengthwise on the line 22 Fig.1, one end of the sealing band inserted in the roller and thekey'engaged in readinessto turn the roller; 'Fig. 3,-a vertical crosssection of the block on theline 3-3 Fig. 1, showing the sealing bandwound a half turn' on the roller;

Fig. 4, a similar section of the block to Fig. 2 showing the sealingband wound'upon the roller byfurther turns of the key to fasteningposition; I

Fig. 5, a plan section of the block on the line'5-5' Fig. 1 looking downon the sealing b'andand roller'in fastening position, with the heyremoving part of the center partition;

Fig. 6, anedge view of a winding key; and

Fig. 7 a plan view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a block of wood orother suit- 1930. Serial No. 467,991.

able material'provided with a chamber 13 open at one end and preferablycylindrical and located at substantially the middle of the block whichis preferably rectangular.

In said chamber .is mounted a roller also cylindrical and preferablyformed of sheet metal or other suitable resilient material adapted tospring outward after compression so that portions of the roller shallengage the walls of the chamber in which it is l mounted. This roller ispreferably of one rectangular piece of spring metal formed into acylinder with oppositely disposed side edges 22 overlapping'a crosspartition 16,

as shown in Fig. 3. The diameter of this roller is normally slightlymore than the diameter of the'chamber 13, so thatwhen it is inserted inthe chambered block the resiliency of the material will cause it toexpand and engage the walls of the said chamber and hold it in itslocated position therein.

Near the inner end 12a of the roller holes 11 perforating thecylindrical walls and connecting partition 16 are disposed so as to"match a transverse hole 9 through the'block and allow the insertion ofone end 8 of a wire or other material for a sealing band, the other end17 being preferably sharpened to facilitate passing it through layers ofa bolt of silk to form a sealing loop when the front end 17 is returnedto the block and inserted in the same hole 9, or preferably in anadjacent hole 18 that matches holes 19 in the roller corresponding tosaid holes 11.

For convenience in the manipulation, the end 8 of the sealing band ispreferably secured to the roller as a preliminary to the insertion ofthe end 17 through the material or other article to be sealed. Thispreliminary engagement is accomplished by giving the roller a half turnby'winding means such as a key'14 having a slot 15 adapted to engage thepartition 16 for turning the roller in the direction of the arrow Fig.2. The side edges 22 are dragged by this rotation and do not oppose thesame in this direction. Fig. 3 indicates this preliminary fastening ofthe rear end 8 of my sealing band. This avoids the block slipping fromthe band in handling it and while the front end 17 is being passedthrough the article to be sealed and is being brought back and inserted,preferably in said hole 18 of the block and matching holes 19 of theroller. Further turning of the roller by the key or other winding means,will cause one or more turns of the sealing band upon the outside of theroller as indicated in Fig. i. The wire or other material forming thesealing loop, is relatively small and more or less indents the walls ofthe chamber like screw threads as it is being wound upon the roller. Theholes throu h the roller being nearer the inner end 12a 1; in the outerend 12?) of the roller, the compression of the sealin band will collapsethe inner end and force t e side edges 22 of the outer end 12b of theroller into engagement with the walls of the chamber, as indiouted inFigs 4 and 5. Such engagement of the side edges 22, and the end 12?),with the walls of the chamber effectively opposes any backward rotationof the roller. The sealing loop thus formed by the fastening of the endsof the band in the roller and its enclosing block, provide the securityof a seal to the article with which it is connected.

Any attempt to reverse the direction of the roller by said winding keyor other means, will cause the portion 16a weakened by the partitionhole 19 and engaged by the slot 15, to break away from the balance ofthe roller as indicated in Fig. 5, without freeing the ends of the hand.In fact, as an additional safeguard, it is advisable that such fragileportion 16a of said partition, should be roken out by the person whoeffects the sealing act. is breaking out of the portion by which windingengagement is made with the roller, practically prevents further windingof the roller in either direction and adds to the safety of my sealingdevice. It will be observed that the winding of the band upon therollerand its indenting engagement with the walls of the chamber actupon the roller like threads of a screw and forces the roller inwardagainst the inner'end 21 of the chamher, as indicated in Figs. 4 and 5where it is locked by the ends of the side edges 22 and the outer end126 being engaged with the walls of the chamber.

This fastening end of my sealing band, thus provides a sealing loop 20,engaging the article sealed, and the above described fastening of theends of the band prevents any opening of said loop without indicatingthat it has been tampered with. The side face of the rectangular block10 may also be used for advertising purposes by applying suitable labelsthereto, or otherwise showing the advertisement thereon.

I claim:

1. A sealing device comprising a block having a chamber therein andtransverse holes therethrough, and a collapsible sheet roller in onepiece having a cross partition for temporary engagement with windingmeans and oppositely disposed edges adapted to engage the Walls of saidchamber and prevent backward rotation and provided with holes to receivea sealing band as described and matching said transverse holes.

2. A sealing device comprising a block having a chamber therein open atone end and provided with transverse holes, and a sheet roller mountedin said chamber having a cross partition for temporary engagement withwinding means inserted through the open end of said chamber and providedwith holes to receive a sealing band as described.

3. sealing device comprising a block having a cylindrical chamber openat one end only and provided with transverse holes to receive a sealingband as described, a collapsible sheet roller forming a cylinder with across partition for temporary engagement with winding means insertedthrough said open end and the partition and cylinder perforated nearerthe inner end than the outer end to receive the ends of a sealing handas described and cause the inner end to collapse and force the sideedges of the outer end into engagement with the walls of said chamber,substantially as described.

4. A sealing device comprising a wooden block having a chamber providedwith transverse holes, and a cylindrical roller mounted therein andperforated to receive a sealing band as described, the band wound onsaid roller indenting the walls of said chamber formingscrew threads toforce the roller 'to the inner end of said chamber and prevent furtherwinding action, substantially as described.

5. A sealing device comprising a block having a chamber open at one endand provided with transverse holes to receive a sealing band asdescribed, and a sheet roller consisting of cylindrical walls with aconnecting partitions, both provided with holes to receive a sealinghand as described, the outer end of said partition being temporarilyengaged by Winding means inserted through said open end of the chamberto rotate said roller to locking position, said outer end portion beingfinally broken awayby the winding means to prevent rotation of theroller in either di rection, substantially as described.

6. A sealing device comprising a block having a cylindrical chamber withholes therethrough and open at one end, and a resilient sheet rollermounted in said chamber and having a fragile portion for temporaryengagement with inserted winding means for Cir rotation of the roller,and provided with holes to receive a sealing band as described, thetemporary engagement of the winding means with said fragile portionallowing rotation of the roller, and the fragile portion being broken byreversing the direction of rotation of the roller, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

RICHARD H. WEBSTER.

